The question is: how does Barack Obama unite his party?
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It has a lot more to do with Clinton than Obama. Obama will reach out as much as he can without giving her the VP spot. The question is: how hard does Hillary work to assuage her voters that all of the things she said about Obama being unelectable were really, just, you know, not true after all. That's what I'll be waiting to see. 
Quite easily once HRC drops out and endorses him. She'll give a nice unity speech at the convention. The party will rally around the candidate. He'll be 10 point over McCain and never look back.
I say continue what he was doing last night. Be conciliatory. If I was him, I’d also reach out to Bill Clinton, tout some of his successes. He could pivot and not only run against Bush and for change, but remind Democrats and others, how good it was under a previous president. Those are two big boosts into the general election, one of which (Bill Clinton’s record), Hillary, had she not run a dreadful campaign, could have won the general with. I think Hillary and Bill, at least publicly, will word hard for him, so that should help as well. He had used uniting language before, and has hinted that he’s holding his fire, and won’t be so easy on McCain. I think we underestimate the fact that Dems are strongly Anti-Bush, and that could unite Dems alone.
I agree with those who've made the case, like Rham Emmanuel, that the loser will have the responsibility to repair the split that she helped create.
Pick a female VP? McCaskill is good.
Of course Obama helping to retire her campaign debt will go a LOOOONG way towards getting Hillary to rally her base to Obama.
He does two things. First, he turns John McCain into a Republican, and saddles him with all the baggage that entails. Second, he paints a picture of America, and America's place, role, and promise to itself and the world. Something that can be envisioned to the tune of Amazing Grace. From there the policies are all one sided, the choice is clear, and the countries temperature is ready for Obama to kick GWB in ass on the way out.
1) Time. I don't mean this to sound like Obama doesn't have to reach out, but he actually has been pretty actively campaigning away from his base for a while now, so I think his efforts won't change much now.
Not that this would change all that much, but this has been in the back of my mind for a while: ask Uncle Tupelo to re-unite (temporarily) and play at the convention. Downstate, rural Illinois, blue collar, good music.
He needs to start turning towards the beginning of a general election campaign just as he did last night. He focused on an uplifting reintroduction of himself, that hopefully, will serve to remind party rank and file why they are Democrats (an adherence to the VALUES of the Democratic party). I think he still pursues the white working class vote like crazy, and gives Clinton room - but not too much, she is tricky - to bow out gracefully. The focus from here on out needs to be McCain, McCain, McCain.
I think the first commenter is right. The person with the most influence over whether the party is united or divided was always going to be the loser of this race, not the winner. And it looks like that's going to be Clinton. I would second a point that James Fallows makes on his Atlantic blog: that the thing so many people criticise Clinton for - her apparent ability to say or do anything to meet her objectives at any given time - will be a strength should she be required to 'turn on a dime' and support Obama with unambiguous enthusiasm in the general.
It's not so much a question of what Obama needs to do to unite the party, but what Hillary needs to do. She can exit gracefully, saying nothing but nice things about Obama and agreeing to campaign hard for him. Or she can drag this thing further into the muck, further entrenching either side. She probably will not have another shot at the presidency if Obama wins, so she has incentive to drag him down with her for the sake of her own prospects in 2012. But doing so she guarantees a McCain victory in the fall, 4 more years in Iraq, no healthcare solution, etc. and risks being seen in Democratic circles as the second coming of Nader. It will be interesting to see which route she chooses. Obama needs to send every overture to her campaign, offer to pay off her debts, perhaps offer her a supreme court seat (not the vice presidency, please!). He desperately needs to move on to McCain so he can start talking about the issues democrats care about. The contrasts with him are tremendous on Iraq, healthcare, taxes, energy. Talking about these issues will bring the democrats around. He also should nominate someone who appeals to the working class: webb, bayh, etc.
Obama can do his part in uniting the party by putting forward a progressive agenda that will begin to repair the damage done by the Bush/McCain years. However, Clinton supporters will have to decide whether Clinton's fate is more important than the fate of America.
Answer: get as many SDs to commit now. There's nothing stopping them. They're professional politicians and party insiders, after all, so there's no excuse for any of them at this point to be unaware of the math. In other words, even if you're an uncommitted SD who's a fervent Clinton supporter, it's obvious that it's now over, and that further delay only helps John McCain. A major movement of SDs that quickly morphs into a stampede could make Obama the presumptive nominee this afternoon. And that's a good thing if you're trying to get a Democrat elected. What special means can Obama employ to start this stampede? Well, he could call up John Edwards, promise him some more aggressive language on universal health care over the summer (Obama's already left the door open to mandates after all, saying he'd "consider" them if necessary), and ask him for his endorsement and for his help in lobbying SDs.
I say Obama does nothing. Let the process take care of itself. Don't pressure HRC to drop out, don't fight efforts to seat the FL, MI delegates, etc. I do think he should, when the time is appropriate, invite HRC to give the keynote at the convention. And at some point, he should publicly recognize the historic nature of Clinton's candidacy as a woman. I think a lot of Obama supporters (I am one) don't get how important this was for a lot of Clinton supporters. Also, someone needs to rehabilitate Clinton's image here in New York. She could very well lose in a primary challenge. Her popularity has plummeted in New York.
I too agree with the first commenter. This ball is clearly in Clinton's court. Obama should continue to be a gracious and as humble as possible but it will be up to Clinton to encourage and motivate her supporters to support the party by supporting Obama.
I don't think it's that hard. Pick Gov. Strickland and make a big deal about him being a huge Hillary supporter. Meanwhile, you've just locked down OH and he can also camp out in Western PA and also Michigan. Let him be your blue collar dem vote-getter. I also think Obama's small-town campaign style will work over the next several months when he's not interrupted by media saturation of "bitter" and Rev. Wright. His PA tour with Sen. Casey looked promising.
Straight Unity Ticket won't work, but Unity Ticket-light might be a good idea. Obama should pick a high-profile Hillary surrogate (Rendell, Bayh, Clark, etc.) as VP.
Someone yesterday was batting around VP Evan Bayh as a unifying, olive-branch. I can't remember who--I'm all blogged out at this point--but it seems like it might be wise both strategically (general election) and tactically (as a first step in placating Clintonites). That said, I think the first two comments nail it: she needs to a) choose to bow out gracefully and, b) start working like hell to fix the damage her enthusiastic mud-slinging has wrought. It's possible; I mean, she's not totally evil, as far as i know.
In the last month or so, Obama has suffered among both the Clinton constituency and the crossover republicans/independents, who were a lot more offended by bittergate and Wright than most democrats were. He should carefully scope out which of the two constituencies will be easier to win back naturally--a little bit of time may tell--and then pick his VP based on which will be harder to win back. I think it's still too soon to say which will mend faster.
Hillary needs to run commercials in West Virginia and Kentucky stating that if your voting for me because I'm white and he's black I don't want your vote.
Choose Kathleen Sebelius as his running mate. Trust me, nothing says unity like a VP Kathy! (Okay, I have a bias here. But she's still the best candidate.)
Yay, the return of Ambers comments! It's go-time! Vis-a-vis the veep choice (which is, I believe, the real thrust of your inquiry). As per the survey you posted yesterday: Obama must seriously consider Hillary Clinton as the vp nominee, but only as part of a standard, conventional, carefully considered veep nominee selection process per usual. He must take into consideration all attributes of all candidates and choose the best. The eyes of the world will be on his every move now like they have not yet been, and if he is seen as being forced by his noble but vanquished opponent to forfeit options in this first major decision of his nomineeship, he will be hobbled by perceptions of weakness and dependence coming out of the gate. This is not to say that he should not pick her, only that he must not be seen as having no choice. In this case it is vital the the spoils--by which I mean in this case the full autonomy that comes with the being the nominee-apparent--do in fact go to the victor. Senator Clinton will bring huge upside to the ticket if selected; no one can deny this. But Senator Obama must also consider the optics that will result if he is forced to share his convention stage with a former competitior whose motives many will doubt, and--far more significantly, as spouses are typically present on that dais--with a former President of the United States of America.
Let's not forget, the greatest force for reuniting the party could be the GOP attack machine. I think HRC supporters (the ones leaning towards McCain or no one at all) will respond to the negative attacks on "one of their own" by turning out for Obama. Time heals all wounds and the visciousness of the GOP attack will make it hard for HRC voters to cast a ballot for McCain come November.
I think the classiest thing he could do is to accept the straight totals from michigan and florida now while there is the tiniest chance still that it would defeat him. That kind of generous embrace of these two important states would demonstrate an amazing goodness and benevolence. It would also cut off my candidate at the knees. If he had done it last night it wouldn't just be the biased clowns at MsNBC and Russert calling him the nominee but everybody. he should neither pay hillary's debt nor should hillary let anyone pay her debt. I love hillary but this would be awful for both of them. I have mixed feelings about them running together. I love Hillary and think she would make a great vp but these things should not be business deals to get people to quit. I totally disagree with anyone's thought that she would run in 4 years.
We also can't discount that after he makes a few more high-profile speeches on national tv, perhaps at the convention, his ratings will probably balloon about ten points and not come down. Apparently this happens a lot.
Clinton herself has played into the depiction of Obama as an out-of-touch elite, fit for only latte liberals and the black electorate. (See Begala's tussle with Brazille last night on this) Only with HER help will Obama be able to present himself to lower-educated white voters as preferential to McCain. This will involve Hillary TELLING these voters that Obama With older and lower-education white voters especially, there will be little that Obama HIMSELF can do without the help of his party. It is sad but true that his race and his name alienates him from a lot of rural, poor white voters. And he will need the help of the party, and of Clinton especially, to remedy this.
Just wait til the nation starts juxtaposing Obama against McCain directly. Wait til they start parrying directly at each other. Sympathetic, reasoning voters will be reminded of how much the two nominees differ. We forget it's been months of debate on an intra-party playing field. Once the choice becomes end the war vs. stay in Iraq, once health care visions are compared, once economic policies are laid bare in contrast, voters even remotely sympathetic to the cause of the Democratic party will be recommitted. It'll take us only one long-overdue look straight into the eyes of the alternative.
How does Obama unite the party? Simple. Two steps. First, he promises Hillary Clinton a SCOTUS nomination in exchange for her efforts to persuade supporters to back Obama, and he even has his surrogates float this as a possibility publicly. Second, he exhorts his supporters to ooze their charm and energy around those in their communities who voted Hillary and he welcomes local, grass-roots Hillary campaign leaders into his own team.
I disagree that Obama needs to pick a Clinton supporter for VP. What does this say to the strong VP candidates who endorsed Obama before his nomination was a foregone conclusion - thanks, but what have you done for me lately? Not that he has to pick one of the politicians who endorsed him, but he shouldn't rule them out either.
Hillary needs to run commercials in West Virginia and Kentucky stating that if your voting for me because I'm white and he's black I don't want your vote. There's an element to this comment that makes a good deal of sense. Hillary has shown she can win the white working class vote. But now she needs to show that she can get these people to vote for Obama. I don't know how she does that while she's still a candidate, but there is an opportunity to for her to bat down criticism of Obama and see if she can boost his numbers in WV and KY.
How does he do it? Obama binds the wounds and wins the way any other democratic candidate would have to do. He praises what is most praiseworthy in the character and the policy proposals of his opponents in the primary season, while ignoring the rest (the Thumper Rabbit approach). He focuses on how the best of the democratic party's achievements in the past, the New Deal, John F. Kennedy's space program, etc., are a prelude to the kinds of achievements that Democrats can and must make, and the benefits a change at the top and in the congress can provide to the next generation of Americans. To make it possible for everyone to have affordable, dependable, and transferable healthcare. To work to help free us from our dependency on foreign oil and address the threat posed by climate change by creating new technologies, industries, and jobs in alternative energies. To make it clear that a disastrous decision to go to war with Iraq is diverting us both from accomplishing these goals at home, and from pursuing a smarter foreign policy and anti-terrorism campaign abroad.
Of course, the problem with choosing Hillary as VP is that it runs counter to the premise of Obama's campaign message of Change. Also, does anyone really think (1) that Hillary (and her shadow Clinton I) will be content to follow Obama's political and policy leads and (2) that Obama could trust her (and Clinton I) to do so?
The party will be fine. He needs to stop attacking the Bill Clinton years (which was good for the average American).
mindbender said..... I disagree that Obama needs to pick a Clinton supporter for VP. What does this say to the strong VP candidates who endorsed Obama before his nomination was a foregone conclusion - thanks, but what have you done for me lately? Not that he has to pick one of the politicians who endorsed him, but he shouldn't rule them out either. I have a hard time understanding the logic behind such a move. How exactly does picking a Clinton surrogate placate Clinton voters? Sure, beltway Clintonites will be placated, but do you honestly think Joe Voter knows who Rendell, Bayh or Clark is? Or knows them enough to see one of those guys as a stand in for Hillary? Seriously? People voted for Clinton. Not a team of surrogates. Either pick her as VP or pick someone you truly want. Not a surrogate. p.s: There's very little precedent for what Obama should do in a situation like this. When was the last time the loser of a primary campaign (a) made it to state #45, (b) was within 3% of the primary popular vote AND (c) and was a Democrat who was already a national brand and a household name? This is one of the few cases where a VP selection wouldn't just maybe swing a state, or two, but entire demographic groups nation-wide.
Why do people think that Hillary should be on the Supreme Court? I don't understand why the politicization of the Supreme Court is a good thing: every decision that she makes will be an open target for members of the right who quiver every time they hear the words "judicial activism," imagine if you put a politician not known for her ability to say what she believes, and has limited judicial experience? And as a liberal, I don't think having anything she says be so easily questioned is a good thing. The Supreme Court needs to be a more politically neutral body, and elevating Hillary would make that impossible...for the rest of the 21st century. I can't see what is gained for putting her there.
I tend to agree with most people that HRC has the greater job/responsibility of uniting the party.
be conciliatory, give it time, and hope that mrs. clinton demonstrates the prudence to pull out before she is forced out. he will not choose her as his running mate, but he will be heavily pressured to select a representative from her side of the party. i am not enamored with any of her most recent string of high profile surrogates (strickland, rendell, bayh) - but I would guess strickland is the best of that group. soon obama will try and take on the mantle of both the kennedy and clinton legacies
be conciliatory, give it time, and hope that mrs. clinton demonstrates the prudence to pull out before she is forced out. he will not choose her as his running mate, but he will be heavily pressured to select a representative from her side of the party. i am not enamored with any of her most recent string of high profile surrogates (strickland, rendell, bayh) - but I would guess strickland is the best of that group. soon obama will try and take on the mantle of both the kennedy and clinton legacies
By continuing as he has. The animosity will decrease once Clinton is out of the picture. As we focus on McCain the party will become united. No need to offer any olive branches IMHO.
I'm one of the many Clinton supporters who won't vote for Obama if he's the nominee. I'd be tempted to vote for McCain except for the judges issue, therefore I'd likely stay home. People don't get that the reason so many Clinton supporters won't vote for Obama is because they don't think he's ready to be president. Personally I don't think he's got the mental fortitude for the job, that he'd be another George Bush who just frays at the seams. The stress of the presidency requires fortitude: mental, physical and spiritual, and I think Obama's lacking on more than one front. Plus I don't think this is over. Black voters didn't take Obama for granted but women voters failed Clinton. Women may be waking up to this fact, hopefully in time.
I think you're asking the wrong question -- I think the question is, "How does Obama unite this nation." And there's one simple answer -- by beholding to the American people, not the corporate interests, and by dealing with is truthfully. Obama's take on the gas tax holiday, in my opinion, was a voter's joy after the pandering of gas tax and tax rebate we've been subjected too. Finally, someone treating us like adults. Someone understanding that we need to rebuild, not shop and vacation.
Sebelius stabbed herself in the face in her response to Bush's last SOTU address. If she's his VP, they're going to need to give her some caffeine.
Vnd offers an opinion devoid of any empirical evidence: Personally I don't think he's got the mental fortitude for the job, that he'd be another George Bush who just frays at the seams. The stress of the presidency requires fortitude: mental, physical and spiritual, and I think Obama's lacking on more than one front.
Luckily, however, Vnd falls back on a tired appeal to identity politics.
Flowers?
He needs to pick a VP that will have broad support within the party and satisfy the doubts Clinton supporters have with him; he also has to start making the case against McCain to show the Democrats what is at stake (health care, Iraq etc) if they vote McCain. He has time to make this choice and what will determine it is the reaction of female voters IMO. He needs female voters, he needs latino voters, and he needs the African American vote.
Vnd, not voting is still a choice. If you're concerned about women voters failing Clinton, then you yourself would be failing women when you fail to come out and vote against a man who would support judges to reverse Roe v. Wade, block equal pay, etc. Not voting doesn't absolve you of responsibility of the outcome.
Obama: Clinton(s): (starting now) It will take both of them to accomplish this.
By focusing on the common enemy. John McCain wants to stay in Iraq indefinetly, privatize Medicare, appoint more conservative judges, continue the Bush economic policies, etc, etc. Democrats are adamantly against all of these proposals, and after 8 years of Bush, and after 7 losses in their last 10 presidentials, the Dems are hungry for a win. The vast majority of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction, democrats especially. All Obama has to do to unite them is make clear that his opponent will continue in that wrong direction. In this election year it shouldn't be too hard to do.
1. Dem Leaders 2. Killer V.P. 3. Voter registration.
As many here have noted, much of the work is Hillary's to do. In the immediate future, Barack should increase the flow of supers and establish a generally more hospitable tone toward Michigan and Florida. [Under no circumstances, however, should Barack try to cut a "deal" with Hillary on Michigan and Florida now, at the very moment when she is weakest. If this campaign has taught us anything about Hillary, it's that, if you give her an inch, she will take a thousand miles. Were Barack to make Hillary a negotiating partner on Michigan and Florida, it would telegraph to supers, to the Party, to voters, and to the media that Hillary has equal status in the path to the nomination and that Barack believes that the fight should and will go all the way to the convention -- this, at the very time that his campaign is arguing that he will, on 20 May, and without Michigan and Florida, have the pledged delegate majority he needs to claim the nomination. If Barack were to bring Hillary to the table on Michigan and Florida, he would be throwing her a lifeline, which she would not hesitate to use to strangle him. ]Two more things: Once Barack has sealed the nomination, he should pick Kathleen Sebelius as his running mate and make very good friends will Bill Clinton.
I think he should just do what he has been doing. Some women saw themselves in Hillary Clinton's presidency. They have a visceral dislike for Obama based on the idea that he is a young man who took an older more experienced promotion away from her. When Hillary is out of the race they will pay attention a bit more to who Obama is and what his message is and they will come around. He has pretty much ignored her gender and except for a few thoughtless comments by surrogates his campaign was pretty respectful. So I think he stays on his message and he will be fine.
I think he should just do what he has been doing. Some women saw themselves in Hillary Clinton's presidency. They have a visceral dislike for Obama based on the idea that he is a young man who took an older more experienced promotion away from her. When Hillary is out of the race they will pay attention a bit more to who Obama is and what his message is and they will come around. He has pretty much ignored her gender and except for a few thoughtless comments by surrogates his campaign was pretty respectful. So I think he stays on his message and he will be fine.
A good VP pick matters. Obama supporters, McCaskill and Sebelius are TERRIBLE VP picks and won't assuage Clinton supporters one iota. Pick someone with gravity and seriousness. I think a unity ticket would be good, but barring that Biden or Clark would be good choices. I have sworn I would never ever vote for McCain even if the electorate did something as silly as nominate Obama, but if McCaskill, Sebelius or Richardson get the nod I will wash my hands of the whole thing.
Where do people get the idea that a seat on the Supreme Court is some kind of consolation prize? I'm pretty sure Obama will show the Court a little more respect than that.
Corrected.... 1. Dem Leaders 2. Killer V.P. 3. Voter registration.
I see no need whatsoever for a unity ticket or a unity ticket "lite." What does it add? Nothing. The "switchover" to McCain from Clinton will be little more than a fart in the wind. Go with Webb, Obama. The guy solves all of your "problems" and is still pretty damn awesome in his own right.
First off, forget about the VP pick as a way to united Democrats. That decision is many weeks, if not months, away and the party needs to begin healing right now. That said, I have said before and still believe that Clinton can not be the VP pick. I think her perception among the general public contradicts Obama's message too strongly. In all honesty, I'm an advocate of a white guy as VP. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm afraid a black man and a woman on one ticket might just be too much diversity at once for a country that is used to white guys. So I go Joe Biden (great attack dog, national security cred) or a purple state governor. As for Hillary, I don't think she will want to run for her seat again, and she may not even want to go back to the Senate at all. I think Obama should make her his "health care czar" in his administration, maybe his Secretary of Health and Human Services. Recognize her expertise in this area and let her go to work on the health care system. In the short term, I think Obama needs to tread carefully. As much as I dislike Hillary and want to see her ushered out swiftly, I think the idea to effectively end the race now by rolling out huge batches of superdelegates is a bad one. Everybody now knows this is over; be gracious and don't rub it in. At the same time, the Obama needs to communicate to the Clinton campaign that if she doesn't dial down the attacks and begin the process of stepping aside gracefully (and ultimately doing so within the next couple of weeks), the Obama campaign will end it themselves. Let the Clinton campaign manage its own exit strategy in the next couple of weeks while continuing to talk positively about unifying the party again.
Clinton would be a particularly bad choice for VP. That would have all of the negatives of her being the nominee (i.e., massively increase rank-and-file Republican turnout), and because it is unlikely that working class Appalachian voters would vote for a black man no matter whom the VP nominee is, it doesn't carry the positives of a Clinton presidential nomination (i.e., carrying PA and OH for sure, and probably AR and WV as well). THAT said, I think it would be a smart move for Obama to publicly promise her whatever position she wanted in his new administration. SCOTUS, AG, Secretary of HHS, whatever. Maybe even float the idea of Bill as SCOTUS, given that a huge number of her blue collar supporters are actually voting for him and not her.
I think too many of you are counting on Hillary (and Bill) to do the right thing for the Democratic Party. They may not - just as they didn't when Gore ran for President and Hillary ran for Senator. Hil/Bill glommed all the money people and totally usurped Gore's efforts to become center stage. Which leads me to believe that Obama must count primarily on himself, the Party elders, and appeal directly to the most skeptical voters...once they no longer have a 'choice' with Hillary, many will open their minds and hearts to the case Obama is making to unite this country...
But, okay: HRC supporters are upset. Blah, okay. Here's what O does: stage a big "group-hug" between him and the Clintons. Get some pictures of the three of them holding their hands in the air. Start a "reconciliation tour." Have Hillary say "you know what? Yes, I was worried about him. I didn't know if he could pull it off. But seeing how he handled the controversies, his victories...you know what? He is ready!" Basically, let her frame the past several months as simply the elder statesmen vetting the new guy because "she just cares so much." (I once read that after a marine graduates, his drill sergeant will come over and shake his hand, and they all kind of "make up" and see each other as equals. Basically, do that, but make it public.) The "drill sergeant tactic"...I'm a genius! I guess he could offer her Secretary of State? Or give her some honorary title in his effort to pass health care (giving her a chance to redeem herself for her prior failure, and thus giving the Clintons both an awesome narrative and a way to ensure their legacy even after a potentially successful 8 years of BHO).
wj: There have been several accounts of Obama making mistakes, not knowing the day/time/place on the campaign trail, observations that he's out-of-it, disconnected and tired. Just Monday he called Matt Lauer "Tim" three times during a Today Show interview. These may be minor things but they are telling -- and let me just say it takes one to know one. I think he's got low energy and an attention problem. He's the absent-minded professor who always loses his paperwork, he's indecisive, bored by mundane details, restless for new things and performs inconsistently. I think Michelle Obama has been very helpful in organizing and motivating him. I'm sure he's super-intelligent but I don't think (ego aside) that he's got what it takes to be president. In contrast, Hillary Clinton is super high-energy and sharp as a tack; she also happens to be a woman -- and it's time to remember that Obama doesn't have the market cornered on identity politics. Women can still win this for her.
Obama doesn't have to do anything different to unite the Democratic party. Clinton will have to come out and support him. Fortunately, completely ignoring, not to mention reversing, everything she has said on a subject is something she has been practicing a lot -- so she should have no problem doing so. What Obama wants to carefully avoid doing is playing the attack game. In fact, be real clear that he objects to anyone else doing so nominally on his behalf also. Do not try to saddle McCain with the baggage of the Bush administration -- people who detest Bush will manage to do that in their own minds without help. Do not demonize McCain in any other way. Keep the campaign on the high road, because that's been his major theme all year -- and it works.
Unfortunately, Joe, it would be near impossible for Bill to get a SCOTUS nomination after the Lewinsky affair. Every single attorney--even those who supported Bill to the end--are still dismayed that he lied to the grand jury. I hate the stupid circumstances under which he felt he had to do so, but it's there.
What now? Well, since Hillary is toast, and Ambinder's contacts in her campaign will mean bupkiss in a month, the answer is obvious: Fire. Ambinder. Now. Dude is not a reporter. He is a hack in the bag for Hillary and pretending to be impartial. A fine institution like The Atlantic could easily get an intern to do Mark's job - how hard is it, after all, to simply post Hillary's press releases? Fire. Ambinder. Now.
Come on Vnd, give up the gig. It's done.
I agree that a Supreme Court appt. would be a horrible precedent. We're not talking about an ambassadorship here: it's not something that should be given in return for favors. I would lose a shit-ton of respect for BHO if he did this (though, technically, I'm sure she'd be a great justice).
I agree that a Supreme Court appt. would be a horrible precedent (well, there's Taft...). We're not talking about an ambassadorship here: it's not something that should be given in return for favors. I would lose a shit-ton of respect for BHO if he did this (though, technically, I'm sure she'd be a great justice).
Three steps: It's that easy!
Obama offers Bill his first Supreme Court appointment, or to Hillary if she wants it.
Marc, I think you and the rest of the media need to accept a good part of the blame for the split in the Democratic Party. Instead of reporting the truth, 95% of the media just repeat the talking points of whichever candidate they're covering at the moment. Therefore the supporters of that candidate never get a reality check and continue to harbor erroneous ideas. For example, I have not once heard a pundit or reporter tell readers or viewers what either Clinton or Obama accomplished in the Senate. I have never once heard a reporter carefully vet the experience claims of either candidate. All they do, for example, is say "Hillary Clinton has 35 years of relevant experience.," or Barack Obama has a thin record." Both those claims are patently untrue, and nothing but Clinton campaign spin, but now vast numbers of American think they ARE true, because the media has been too lazy to do its job. If you want the Democratic party to come back together, you can start by telling people the WHOLE truth about Senator Obama's legislative record in Illinois, his Senate record (with specifics), how long he has held elected office, his policies and platforms, who he is as a person, what he did before going into politics, etc. And you can compare all those things with McCain's WHOLE record, his platforms, his character, his associations, and not just repeat the tripe that he's a "maverick." Also completely untrue. Again, do your job, and the Democratic Party may unify.
I think Joe's on to something. Offer Hillary the HHS Secretary. She's been very much gung-ho on health care, and does have some credentials for supporting foster care and adoption. It might give both her and Bill enough of the spotlight to satisfy them, give her a way to save face, as well as giving her an incentive to campaign for him; but it wouldn't burden him with the baggage as the VP slot would. (By the way, I am generally an Obama supporter, but Clinton's support of foster care and adoption tell me that not everything she does is for her own power. There's very little political benefit in picking those two issues to champion, but she did so anyway, without much fanfare).
I'm delighted that the first few posters echoed my automatic response: First she has to drop out. Then, repairing the rift in the party has a lot to do with how she drops out. And when, so her supporters can have 20 days (doubling Rendell's PA offer of 10) to mourn. If she campaigns quixotically on through the inauguration in January, drawing together can be a problem. Remember everyone's gushing praise of Edwards after he dropped out? It was after he dropped out.
Fun game: Let's see how long Ambinder sits on pro-Obama news until he can pair it with pro-Hillary news. McGovern switches to Obama this morning. No Ambinder post. But as soon as Heath Shuler endorses Clinton, we get a good news/bad news post. Four more supers for Obama, as of about 1:30 ET. If Ambinder's waiting for 4 pro-Hillary supers to announce, it could be awhile. I totally recognize that most other bloggers are in the tank for Obama. But a reporter's job isn't to counter-balance the biases of others with his own. It's to be objective.
The question is: how does Barack Obama unite his party? McCain. This has been another episode of easy answers to easy questions.
The big question: when do you stop being a Clinton shill? turning off comments doesn't stop the obvious being obvious.
Clinton just said this in a press conference: "Well, I'm saying in this race until there's a nominee. And I obviously am going to work as hard as I can to become that nominee." So I will amend my previous comments. Many people here are correct: on the issue of unifying the Democratic party, the ball is first in Clinton's court. She has to drop out, or at least give some signal that she's winding down with the intention to step aside soon. Absent that, then the Obama campaign has every right to try to "obliterate" her with an avalanche of superdels.
What now? Get the bitch off the pitch.
I think she should give a unity speech and go back to the Senate. We can't use her to campaign for him, especially not Bill. They have said too many negative things about Obama. It would look extremely fake. I think once he chooses a great VP, then we will be able to get this thing done.
THIS IS EXCELLENT NEWS!! FOR HILLARY!!!
I agree with Nathan. Nearly half of voters in the Democratic primary chose Clinton. I'm not sure why so many Obama supporters fail to recognize this simple fact. Further, as Nathan suggested, Clinton can bring her voting blocs together on a national level; a Clinton surrogate will be unable to do that. Choosing another woman smacks of tokenism and Clinton's supporters will perceive it as an insult to her. Face it, folks, most Americans were better off during Bill Clinton's two terms in office. He's a narcissist, but he was an effective president. And Mrs. Clinton is a formidable woman and outstanding senator with many strengths. So to unify the party, perhaps Senator Obama should first encourage his supporters to stop vilifying the Clintons. Then I think he should offer her the VP slot. The two of them together would be unbeatable -- he can do the inspirational leadership and she can do the heavy lifting.
@ezr The two of them together would be unbeatable -- he can do the inspirational leadership and she can do the heavy lifting. I'm not sure why so many Clinton supporters seem convinced that Obama can't handle the "heavy lifting." My God, all he did was assemble a campaign staff and executed a strategy that took down the best-known and most powerful family in Democratic, if not American, politics today. As a relatively unknown (untested?) brand, he competed not just against another candidate but against her husband, who just happened to be one of the most popular presidents ever. He out-fundraised them, outflanked them, out-messaged them, and nevermind the fact that he went out of his way to avoid taking the low road as she so often did. Barack Obama has already beaten the toughest candidate he will face in this election. He can handle the heavy lifting.
A little condescending there, ezr--"heavy lifting?" I think Obama is quite capable (more so than Clinton) of doing the heavy lifting on his own, thank you. And I think Obama does encourage his supporters to not vilify Clinton by setting an excellent example himself.
I think Marc needs a vacation. I'm an Obama supporter, and even I think his list of reasons why Clinton should drop out is sloppily written. #1 = "it's over", #2 = "the reality principle"? #7 - "Florida and Michigan" as a reason to drop out? My best guess: Marc is split between his thinly-veiled support for Hillary on one hand, and his (half-hearted) desire to appear objective on the other.
Agree to seat the MI and FL delegations to advantage Hillary, pay off Hill's campaign debts, ask Hillary to be his VP, and leave his church.
SDinIA, I'm referring to the less glamorous but essential work of the modern vice presidency that began under Gore and has been expanded under Cheney. Sorry, Observer, if you find it condescending. Those of us who live and work on the Hill know very well that low-profile work is not Obama's forte. Obama's disinclination for actual governance is an open joke in certain Democratic circles here -- circles which are of course heavily weighted toward Obama supporters. (I raise funds for both him and Clinton, BTW, so this isn't coming from a "Clinton supporter.") Even Obama's strongest Senate backers take gentle pokes at him for his ability to cosponsor so many bills and nudge his way into the limelight. Spend a lot of time with Senate staffers and their bosses and you'll understand what I mean. Obama's strengths are at a very macro level, while Clinton is very detail oriented. He likes to make big speeches, she likes to talk policy in endless detail. His strengths are more suited to the presidency, and hers to the vice presidency. Really, you don't have to buy into the myths of Obama as savior and Clinton as monster to think Obama is a great candidate. A little objectivity isn't antithetical to the selection of the strongest ticket.
The same way he healed his split with Rev. Wright. Oh, wait ...
Being one of those "women of a certain age" squarely in both the demographic and reality of Hillary's camp, I asked myself and two friends this morning what it would take to unify our party. Pls note: I've voted Democratic from the beginning for 40 years, been a precinct committeewoman, an activist and substantial $ contributor in the party, attended both Clinton's inaugurals (and, because my husband was a paid staffer for Carter, we participated at his as well)and, mostly, was looking forward to a wonderful 2008 in my longtime town of Denver this year. Over the years, with my political family, I'm used to celebrating victories and nursing wounds in defeat. As a Clinton supporter, early on I admired Obama nevertheless...until the campaign's approach, through J. Jackson Jr., of playing the race card with the "tears-Katrina" conflation the day after NH. A lot of bait & switch--almost no turning back on the road to maximizing the race vote. I too cried; then, I became resentful. Soon, I started to see the reemergence of the splits of the 70s with McGovern and the lackluster 80s with Dukakis--both of whom I met and supported as best I could in their day. Today, that combo came home again...and, as my husband (the one who did his doctorate on an aspect of electoral behavior before teaching political science and running a campaign or two) quietly said an hour ago: "I think we (the party) really has a death wish." SO, what is ok by me? I'm not sure. I do know that condescension will push me into voting in a way not thought possible by me bef |
I don't think this is in O's court - Clinton has to drop out with more grace than she has ever shown in the last - what was it - 35 years.
Posted by Mark | May 7, 2008 11:33 AM